πΌ Film Production
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[0] => Film production gave the New Zealand government a new tool for promoting the country to overseas audiences, while also proving to be a useful information medium for dissemination of information to a domestic audience.
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[history] => In 1901 the Government commissioned the Salvation Army to record, on film, the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. In 1907 James McDonald exhibited the first scenic film he took on behalf of the Tourist and Health Resorts Department.
The New Zealand Government entered film-making proper in 1921, when the Publicity Office was formed as part of the Department of Internal Affairs. This new Office was to consolidate existing functions performed within the department since 1900.[1]
The Government Publicity Office shot, developed and edited their own products, however, after a fire in their laboratory, they contracted out their film processing to a private company, Filmcraft Limited.
In the 1925 the report of the Publicity Office stated that "probably the greatest development can be recorded in the production of cinematograph film."[2] That year also saw the office release its first feature-length scenic film, titled "Glorious New Zealand".
In June 1930 due to budget restrictions, the Government Publicity Office was transferred from the Department of Internal Affairs to become part of the Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity Division of the Department of Industries and Commerce. This restriction coincided with the advent of sound-films, and though Filmcraft purchased the equipment needed, the Office was still limited in the amount of films made.
On the 12 August 1938 Filmcraft was sold to the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity, thereby enabling them to process their own films. By this stage their services in film-making were being sought after by other branches of government.
With the outbreak of war in 1939 it was intended that the Government Film Studios should close, however recognising the value of film for information and to boost public morale, a War Film Production Sub-committee was convened in 1940.[3] This group, which was working out of the Government Film Studios at Miramar, produced anti-waste films and the “Weekly Review”, a newsreel that was shown in theatres around New Zealand. Between 1940 and 1945 the majority of work being carried out in film production related to the war effort.
In 1941 Peter Fraser established the National Film Unit in a cabinet minute under his wartime emergency powers as Prime Minister.[4] The following year a National Film Library was established and began supplying borrowers throughout the Dominion. The Film Unit remained in the Department of Industry and Commerce, but in policy matters was answerable to the wartime Director of Publicity attached to the Prime Minister’s Office.[5] By April 1946 the National Film Unit had become part of the Information Section of the Prime Ministers Office.
In July 1950 the Government announced that it would transfer the Information Services (including the National Film Unit) from the Prime Ministers Office to the renamed Department of Tourist and Publicity.
As the government's principal film producer from 1941 to 1990 the National Film Unit produced hundreds of films for publicity, instructional, informational and record purposes
During its first decade the principal output of the National Film Unit was the Weekly Review magazine-film, which ceased in 1950 after 459 issues. A monthly magazine-film, Pictorial Parade was produced from 1952 to 1971. The Unit continued to make documentaries at the request of other Government departments. Private companies increasingly used the Unit’s laboratories to process their work and this became the Film Unit’s biggest single revenue earning operation.
In the 1988 Budget the Government announced it would be selling the business units of the New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department, this included the National Film Unit. The National Film Unit was sold to Television New Zealand on 23 March 1990.
In 1998 Peter Jackson of Weta Studios purchased the National Film Unit at Miramar from Television New Zealand.
Footnotes:
[1] The Mother of All Departments – The History of the Department of Internal Affairs, p89
[2] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives H-22, 1925, p5
[3] Film Making in New Zealand a brief historical survey, p10
[4] “The Tin Shed” The Origins of the National Film Unit, p9
[5] New Zealand Official Year-book, p725
Principal Legislation
Cabinet Minute 1941
Tourist and Publicity Department Act 1963
State Owned Enterprises Act 1986
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Show History
In 1901 the Government commissioned the Salvation Army to record, on film, the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. In 1907 James McDonald exhibited the first scenic film he took on behalf of the Tourist and Health Resorts Department.
The New Zealand Government entered film-making proper in 1921, when the Publicity Office was formed as part of the Department of Internal Affairs. This new Office was to consolidate existing functions performed within the department since 1900.[1]
The Government Publicity Office shot, developed and edited their own products, however, after a fire in their laboratory, they contracted out their film processing to a private company, Filmcraft Limited.
In the 1925 the report of the Publicity Office stated that "probably the greatest development can be recorded in the production of cinematograph film."[2] That year also saw the office release its first feature-length scenic film, titled "Glorious New Zealand".
In June 1930 due to budget restrictions, the Government Publicity Office was transferred from the Department of Internal Affairs to become part of the Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity Division of the Department of Industries and Commerce. This restriction coincided with the advent of sound-films, and though Filmcraft purchased the equipment needed, the Office was still limited in the amount of films made.
On the 12 August 1938 Filmcraft was sold to the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity, thereby enabling them to process their own films. By this stage their services in film-making were being sought after by other branches of government.
With the outbreak of war in 1939 it was intended that the Government Film Studios should close, however recognising the value of film for information and to boost public morale, a War Film Production Sub-committee was convened in 1940.[3] This group, which was working out of the Government Film Studios at Miramar, produced anti-waste films and the “Weekly Review”, a newsreel that was shown in theatres around New Zealand. Between 1940 and 1945 the majority of work being carried out in film production related to the war effort.
In 1941 Peter Fraser established the National Film Unit in a cabinet minute under his wartime emergency powers as Prime Minister.[4] The following year a National Film Library was established and began supplying borrowers throughout the Dominion. The Film Unit remained in the Department of Industry and Commerce, but in policy matters was answerable to the wartime Director of Publicity attached to the Prime Minister’s Office.[5] By April 1946 the National Film Unit had become part of the Information Section of the Prime Ministers Office.
In July 1950 the Government announced that it would transfer the Information Services (including the National Film Unit) from the Prime Ministers Office to the renamed Department of Tourist and Publicity.
As the government's principal film producer from 1941 to 1990 the National Film Unit produced hundreds of films for publicity, instructional, informational and record purposes
During its first decade the principal output of the National Film Unit was the Weekly Review magazine-film, which ceased in 1950 after 459 issues. A monthly magazine-film, Pictorial Parade was produced from 1952 to 1971. The Unit continued to make documentaries at the request of other Government departments. Private companies increasingly used the Unit’s laboratories to process their work and this became the Film Unit’s biggest single revenue earning operation.
In the 1988 Budget the Government announced it would be selling the business units of the New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department, this included the National Film Unit. The National Film Unit was sold to Television New Zealand on 23 March 1990.
In 1998 Peter Jackson of Weta Studios purchased the National Film Unit at Miramar from Television New Zealand.
Footnotes:
[1] The Mother of All Departments – The History of the Department of Internal Affairs, p89
[2] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives H-22, 1925, p5
[3] Film Making in New Zealand a brief historical survey, p10
[4] “The Tin Shed” The Origins of the National Film Unit, p9
[5] New Zealand Official Year-book, p725
Principal Legislation
Cabinet Minute 1941
Tourist and Publicity Department Act 1963
State Owned Enterprises Act 1986
- π’ New Zealand Government Motion Picture and Advertising Studios (1936 ‑ 1941)
- π’ Television New Zealand Limited (1990 ‑ 1998)
- π’ Department of Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity (1930 ‑ 1941)
- π’ National Film Unit (1941 ‑ 1990)
- π’ Department of Internal Affairs, Head Office (1921 ‑ 1930)
- π Prime Minister (1946 ‑ 1950)
- π Tourist and Health Resorts (1) (1930)
- π Internal Affairs (1921 ‑ 1930)